Active Kids Guide

Whatever your kids are into, there's a camp or program to inspire them

by Katy Read |
February 1, 2012

Artists & Dreamers

Art programs are fun for future Picassos and kids who love finger painting. But, even kids who aren’t into paint or clay can enjoy other aspects of the experience. At the Walker Art Center, they’re divided into makers, dreamers, and explorers, says Christina Alderman, program manager for families at the Walker Art Center. “Makers are the kids who want to get their hands dirty and do stuff,” she says.” They’re more concerned about the process, and what they’re experiencing in a tactile way, than they are about learning names or how to look closely.”

Dreamers use ideas as a jumping-off point to let their imaginations loose and see where they go. Explorers like to solve and find things. Give them a clue, such as a fragment of a picture that’s hanging somewhere in the gallery, and they relish the challenge of tracking it down, Alderman says.

Art programs help develop a variety of strengths, from fine-motor skills to creative abilities to problem-solving. Participants also learn to feel at home in an art museum. Rather than being intimidated or bored, Alderman says, kids find that museums are great places to learn, hang out, and appreciate the work of others (and their own).